<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Invictus by Linnaa2903</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28752447">Invictus</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linnaa2903/pseuds/Linnaa2903'>Linnaa2903</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Edward is judgmental af, F/M, Human Alice, I take the bits of canon I like and everything else goes straight in the bin, Jasper is a lot..., We stan jessica in this house, jk i extensively research the most minute detail but don't bother with the big shit, modern au ig, no beta we die like men, no planning no research vibes only, truly a twilight mood tbh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:55:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,926</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28752447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linnaa2903/pseuds/Linnaa2903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He was the constant in her life, the visions of him were the anchor in her darkest moments and her most prized secret. </p><p>She had a pull like gravity, and he had neither the strength nor the will to resist her, not anymore. </p><p>A Human!Alice AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Carlisle Cullen/Esme Cullen, Edward Cullen/Bella Swan, Emmett Cullen/Rosalie Hale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jagged swipes of green revealed themselves to be the familar treescape of the Pacific NorthWest, that stripe of grey into a road, like a cosmic camera coming slowly into focus, or an artist rendering details. <em>oh that sign was Newton's!</em> <em>It wasn't just any backwoods road, it was Forks!</em> A brief shimmer, and then four sleek cars whipped past on the road, merely blurs of colour. And then, a sudden close up. A Mercedes with black tinted windows. A red convertible with a beautiful blonde with a giant dark-haired man. A silver Volvo driven by a bronze haired man with a gorgeous brunette passenger.  A Jeep driven by a blonde-haired man. Alice's heart skipped a beat at the last snapshot. That particular shade of honey curls was etched into her mind, into her very soul. She would know it anywhere. <em>He was in Forks!</em> A jarring, nauseating transition onto a dirt track, trees whipping past, dangerously close to the cars. Finally breaking through the tunnel of trees, there was a sparkle in the right corner, like the sun reflecting off water, and the white of the abandoned Higginbotham house ahead.</p><p>Alice slammed back into the present. The kitchen tiles were cool against her burning right cheek, and the familiar taste of copper filled her mouth. Her cheek and jaw ached mightily, no doubt she'd be sporting some sizeable bruises tomorrow, but that had long ago stopped causing comments, only pitying glances for the poor epileptic. At school, she was the freak, and as always, the thought came with a pang at the nickname she'd never shake. She pushed herself up on shaking arms, mindful of the water she had spilled during her seizure. The plastic cup had rolled to a stop against the fridge. There was nothing delicate in the Brandon household, no fine china for Alice to destroy or glass to shatter.</p><p>She retrieved the cup, flinching at the twinge in one shoulder as she did. Her head was pounding as it usually was after a vision. But as she slowly recovered the flashes of the vision, everything else became nothing but background noise to the pounding of her heart, to the singing in her veins. He was here!! He was coming, and soon. Alice put the cup away, and pulled out an ice pack, for her shoulder. The familiar excitement of a glimpse of him chased away the lingering tiredness of a seizure. A quick glance into the living room showed a re-run playing on the TV to the audience of empty picture frames and her still sleeping Grandma. She’d get around to taking down those picture frames one day…  </p><p>She got ready for bed, mechanically washing her face and brushing her teeth, her mind firmly occupied with unfashionably long, chin length golden curls, his straight nose, full lips and strong jaw. He was painfully beautiful. But his strange golden eyes were always terribly sad. Pained. Overwhelmed.</p><p> In the beginning he hadn't been much more than blurry impressionist art. Splashes of colour; gold and white mostly. Slowly, over time it had developed into a face she now knew as well as her own, a beloved face. It had almost been as if he was a figure in the distance as she was looking out of a rainy car window at night. Blurry and indistinct, the mere impression of a person distilled down to their most basic parts. Then the car slowed down, or she had wiped a little of the condensation away and she could catch sight of his silhouette. He was a mosaic she painstakingly pieced together. Here the curve of an ear, or the angle of a jaw. The aquiline nose. Brows furrowed in pain or in thought, arched in contempt. Mouth at once impossibly soft, and yet a hard line, or curled back from his teeth in anger. Rarer still, a fishhook smirk and a flash of dimples.  She had ardently sketched out every flash of him in her journal, trying to bring him to life through pen and paper, to make him real and not just a figment of her imagination. The visions were like dreams, if she didn’t pin them down as soon as possible, they slipped through her fingers, leaving only impressions behind.</p><p>It had only been in the past year or two that Alice got the full picture of him. Tall and leonine, with a voice like honey poured over thunder and the trailing edge of a southern drawl. Alice had been walking on air when she finally learned his name. Jasper.</p><p>Alice knew what was said about her; crazy, freak, weirdo. She could hardly deny it when she was obsessed with visions of a stranger. Her parents had been amused at Alice’s guardian angel, at least at first. When she refused to grow out of it, and her seizures got worse, they grew less and less amused. Towards the end, Alice had run to her mother on spindly legs, uncaring of her ruined dress and cut cheek, excited to share the glimpse of her angel. Her mother had grabbed her by the chin tightly. “No more of that nonsense about angels! Take that dress off! Another one ruined!” her mother had said, eyes cold. By the time Alice was nine and sat on the stairs, hidden by the bannister as she listened to her parents discussing sending her to <em>that place</em>, Cynthia and her parents had all looked at her with cold, frightened eyes.</p><p>She hadn’t had Gran to teach her back then, so when she had come out of her latest seizure shrieking about the McKenzie’s mangled bodies, or the ashes of the old hospital her parents had been concerned. After the McKenzie’s tragic car accident and the fire, they had been scared of her. Their eyes, dark like hers, were full of fear. Her mother only had to catch a glimpse of her to frown, and her father’s mouth became a hard line. At night, Alice would lie in bed, Cynthia’s soft snores not enough to block out the sharp angry voices in the kitchen. Alice hadn’t needed a vision to know her parents were unhappy. She had tried desperately to be the happy, bubbly girl they had once loved, but it wasn't enough. Alice hadn’t seen her parents in the past 8 years. Now, she’d be happiest if she never saw them again, and Gran certainly wasn’t going to invite them over after the incident on her 10th birthday!</p>
<hr/><p>Alice left her rust-bucket car, and slung her bag over her shoulder, heading for homeroom. Jessica practically rowed her down, he eyes glittering, a sure indication of juicy, juicy gossip.</p><p>"Oh my god Alice, so my mum heard from Rebecca at the hospital that a hot new doctor is moving to Forks, and he's got like a bazillion adopted kids! And they're starting school next week!" Jessica was almost squealing in excitement. Alice’s answering smile could've dazzled traffic. <em>He was coming to school on Monday! She'd see him in the flesh!</em> There were anticipation butterflies in her stomach, and a few anxious moths too, all trying to escape.</p><p>"There's not been new kids since I came, right?"</p><p>"Right" agreed Jess, “and, no offence, but I hope there’s cute boys this time!" Jess said, knocking elbows with Alice.</p><p>Alice's grin faltered a little. <em>Jasper would never look twice at me. </em>Alice quickly dispelled that thought. She didn’t know the exact details of her future with Jasper, and it wouldn’t do to get carried away by her wish fulfilment fantasies and set herself up for disappointment. <em>If only my heart would get the message</em>.</p><p>"Is that your junior year resolution, then? Catch a cute boy?” Alice asked, smirking.</p><p>Jess grinned. "Yes, preferably fresh meat,” Jess said grinning. “Want to join me?” She wiggled her eyebrows dramatically.  Alice shook her head vehemently; she'd spare herself the embarrassment. <em>Who’d want to date the childish weirdo? </em></p><p>As they slid into their homeroom seats, Angela was already waiting, and Jess wasted no time in spreading the gossip to everyone within hearing range and she had never mastered an indoor voice.</p><p>First period was Art, which Alice shared with Angela. They had moved on from photography into the traditional mediums, if the still life and easels set up were any indication. Alice eyed the fruit bowl’s unfortunately phallic arrangement with skepticism. She wiggled her eyebrows at Angela and they shared a quick giggle before sliding into their seats.</p><p>Miss Smith started them off with a line drawing exercise. It was one of Alice's favourites, and one she even practiced at home. She focused on drawing the line shape of the object, without lifting her pen, focusing on how the details joined to the bigger whole, and one object to another. It was the freedom of the activity, the intentional imperfection of it that appealed to Alice, who so often strived for perfection in her art and fell short. As they completed the quick-fire version of the activity, Miss Smith gave them ten minutes to sketch the still life in as much detail as possible in one single line.</p><p>Eyes flickering between the still life and her paper— <em>plastic not even real fruit — </em>Alice found an almost meditative rhythm.</p><p>"So did Jessica tell you her goal?" Alice asked. Angela ducked her head to hide her smirk from Miss Smith’s raptor like gaze.</p><p>“Those poor Cullen’s have no idea what's waiting for them!" Angela said. A slightly hysterical giggle slipped out of Alice’s mouth. <em>No idea, and neither did Angela. </em></p><p>A sudden pressure around Alice's head formed, like giant hands compressing her skull. She turned to Angela, smile slipping off her face. Angela's mouth was moving but Alice couldn't hear the words. Black encroached on her vision. as Angela reached for her over the table.</p><p>Blinding white at first, like a fresh canvas. Then smudges of colour revealed themselves, bronze and brown to the right, blending together slightly. A splash of honey. A wave of clarity; pale fingers dancing over black and white keys. A romantic melody piercing the air.</p><p>Jasper, with a book in his lap, abandoned, as he stared out one of the many glass walls into the surrounding forest.</p><p>A soft faced brunette young woman, watching the bronze haired pianist with warm amber eyes. The song shifted, from loving to haunting, before a discordant note wrong footed the girl. Jasper whipped his head around to the pair at the piano.</p><p>"Stay out of my head, Edward," he hissed.</p><p>Edward sneered, "Believe me, the last place I want to be is inside your head. Try reining in your depravity, if you can."</p><p>Jasper was suddenly in front of the couple, lips pulled back from his teeth in a snarl and—</p><p>Alice came back to herself unwillingly. A flutter of kaleidoscope colours focused into Miss Smith's worried face hovered over her. Innumerable repetitions had made it habit for Angela, or Jess to shoulder Alice's bag, and help her to her feet.</p><p>"Don't worry, you didn't hit your head," Angela said. Alice nodded carefully. Her head was spinning, and not just from the rush of blood. She dimly registered Miss Smith sending them to the nurse’s office. Alice accepted Angela's support, leaning on her tall friend gratefully. She made a mental note to make Angela something pretty over the weekend. as a thank you. Her friends all sported quite a collection of Alice's physical representations of gratitude.</p><p>There was a flutter of activity as Angela helped her into the cot and explained the situation to the nurse. She dismissed Angela and turned to Alice with her usual glance filled with thinly veiled pity.</p><p>"Well, I'd hoped you'd last a little longer before being back here, Alice,' she said, not unkindly.</p><p>"Me too," Alice agreed, smiling wryly. <em>Wasn't as if it was in her control.</em> Alice's mind was caught on far more pressing concerns than her latest seizure. She accepted a cup of water from the nurse, and dutifully sipped it, relishing the cool water soothing her suddenly dry throat as she played over her vision again.</p><p>
  <em>Could the red-head really be a mind reader? </em>
</p><p>Alice was reeling with the possibilities. Someone who would understand what it was like to be different... how long had she wished for such a thing? <em>Her grandma had her hunches of course, and great-grandma Mary had visions too, but it wasn't the same</em>. With that thought running through her mind, Alice came back to earth. What was she going to do when they arrived? Think loudly "Hello Edward, I know you can read minds and I can see the future – no, don't run away, I'm not crazy!" Alice had already had one brush with institutionalised and wasn't going to court another. And not only that... did she want Jasper to find out about her visions of him (and her pathetic fantasies) through his brother? His brother who she had seen him arguing with... Alice hadn't thought of Cynthia in a while, and her mood deflated even further. Her sister had been so young when Alice moved to Forks for her to know if that was a typical sibling clash or not. </p><p>Subtlety wasn't Alice's forte, but this situation required some delicacy on her part. There's no second chance at first impressions after all, and she had her freakish reputation already against her. Her heart lowered further, as rapid-fire possibilities of her embarrassing herself flashed across her mind’s eye: tripping, <em>unlikely but possible</em>; saying something stupid, <em>highly likely</em>; gaping like a fish when she finally laid eyes on Jasper, <em>almost guaranteed</em>. She giggled to herself, having already had a sneak preview of the beauty of the Cullen’s, Alice was determined to be the only one not to catch flies on Monday. Though it wasn't as if all of her visions of Jasper had desensitised her to his beauty, it was always like a punch to the throat when she saw him.</p><p>Alice had no doubt that the Cullen's otherworldly beauty would work against them in making friends, intimidating those who weren't brimming with envy. Here, Alice could shine, offering a helping hand, but not going so far as be overwhelmingly enthusiastic<em>. I can totally be calm and collected. Cool would be her middle name on Monday.</em> Nurse Smith was giving her a strange look, and Alice realised she was grinning to herself. <em>I am so screwed. </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is my first attempt at fanfic since this idea would not let me have peace! Concrit would be appreciated! Also, I'm British so apologies for any missed Americanisms or mistakes!!<br/>Next chapter is Jasper's POV!<br/>Updates will probably be sporadic.<br/></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first day at school was always the worst. The barrage of emotions from the students dulled over time, but on the first day, the first months in truth, it was like walking into a brick wall of lust and envy, with the fog of curiosity following his family like a bad smell. That was normal. However, the annoyance, contempt and nerves coming off his siblings and choking the car was not. His stomach sank, it was his fault they were transferring late. He’d slipped up in Ithaca and they’d had to do damage control, and then wait for the incriminating red to fade from his gaze. Rosalie and Edward made little to no attempt to hide their annoyance and contempt with him. Rosalie had huffed, but Edward, on the other hand, was projecting. Jasper knew this – his gift told him what people were feeling, but not why, and so he had chosen psychology their last few college cycles - but that didn’t mean the derision rolling off Edward got any easier to endure. Carlisle’s disappointment cut and undermined the forgiveness he had spoken of no matter how earnestly. <em>50 years, and still the weakest link.</em></p><p>Emmett and Bella were sympathetic, both having had their own struggles with the vegetarian diet. Esme’s boundless compassion was, as always, a balm, but it was hard to remember that warmth in the face of the stifling emotions in the car. Jasper focused his attention on the scenery as the car slowed down to legal speeds as they approached the town proper. These small towns were all the same. Insular. Cities would be easier to slip through unnoticed, but it was “too much temptation’. Jasper still found the human facade ill-fitting, and it had taken a formerly unknown level of self-control to stop himself from ripping Edward’s head from his shoulders at that snide jab. Edward was the one with the sordid city past, after all. Jasper internally rolled his eyes, Edward didn’t know a damn thing about sordid pasts, he just got off on self-flagellation. Jasper frowned at the tang of bitterness on his tongue — <em>ah, emotional bleed through, the bane of my existence.</em> Carlisle claimed it was a gift, but Jasper knew it to be a curse.</p><p>The receptionist was scanning paperwork tiredly, but once she had caught a glimpse of his family heading towards the office her heartbeat picked up double time. Just before they entered, Jasper took a last breath of fresh air. He’d leave the small talk to his siblings.</p><p>“Good morning, you must be the Cullen’s,” she greeted. They murmured their good mornings, deliberately out of sync. Her eyes were wide as she looked at them. He had been braced for the onslaught of emotions as soon as they pulled into the parking lot, so the bright flare of curiosity and the surge of shame followed quickly on the heels of desire was easy to ignore. She handed out their schedules and a map and gave them all directions to their homerooms. It had already been decided that Jasper would be starting as a junior with Bella and Edward. He had to tamp down on the flair of irritation at needing a babysitter before it could infect the others. <em>It’s not as if they could stop me, anyway.</em></p><p>Their homeroom teacher was Mr. Tanner, who was giving off such frazzled anxiety that Jasper winced and unthinkingly sent a wave of calm at him to take the edge off. A flicker of arousal as his eyes landed on Bella was quickly squashed, and Edward shot him a quick flare of gratitude. ‘<em>That’s what empaths are for’</em> he thought loudly at Edward.</p><p>“Why don’t you introduce yourselves to the class,” Mr. Tanner said. Jasper barely restrained the urge to roll his eyes, but Bella gave in, her spike of irritation matching his own.</p><p>When it was his turn to introduce himself, Jasper mechanically said, “My name is Jasper Hale. My favorite subject is History.” He blasted enough disinterest at the class during their introductions that the eyes of the students in the front row became unfocused. He’d used up the last of his breath, but he knew Edward or Bella would field any questions sent his way. It was never too early to earn his reputation as the most standoffish Cullen.</p><p>Jasper zoned out of homeroom once he was seated. Not breathing was… uncomfortable. They didn’t need to breath of course, but it cut them off from their most important sense, smell. However, it didn’t stop the beat of their hearts ringing in his ears, or the sound of their blood rushing through their veins. His throat burned. He could almost taste the lust in the air. <em>It would be so easy to get one of them alone…</em> Jasper straightened at that stray thought. Getting back on the wagon after a slip was always difficult. Jasper sighed quietly, unheard by the humans around them. Bella turned to him; her flash of concern was swallowed by a flair of amusement. He raised an eyebrow at her.</p><p>“I know it’s a pain to be babysat,” Bella said with a grimace, no doubt remembering her own relapses, “but at least you don’t have to restrain Emmett in P.E anymore!” she whispered at him. Jasper did smirk a little at that. That was a silver lining. At their last school, Emmett had spent every P.E period testing Jasper’s limited patience by being just a smidge too fast, or too strong to be normal. One time, playing tennis he went through 5 rackets, and Jasper had been hard pressed not to ram the broken ones down his throat by the end of the period. Emmett had been very pleased with himself, despite the reprimanding he got from Esme and Carlisle when they received the complaint and invoice from the school. He had managed to distract Jasper from the desperately pumping hearts and intoxicating scents suffocating the gym hall, after all. But controlling Emmett’s more harebrained schemes was now Rose’s responsibility, and she was more than capable of that.</p><p>Classes started, all without taking a breath. Jasper remained silent, his face as neutral as he could keep it with the constant barrage of sounds and feelings from the students around him. He took notes without thought and concentrated the rest of his mind on the emotions of the two vampires seated next to him to try and keep his mind off blood as much as possible. Edward was rotating through boredom with the rarer flash of amusement as he sifted through the no doubt banal thoughts around them. It was English class, so Bella was paying attention, though what she thought she’d learn on her umpteenth high school English class Jasper could never hope to guess. <em>Hope springs eternal, and all that.</em> Their blood lust was both at a low simmer and he felt the telltale flare of his own throat in response. He sighed again. Jasper would never regret joining the Cullen’s or changing his diet. It had brought him out of the depths of despair and into a new way of living he could never have fathomed in a thousand years on his own. But it was hard. Unlike his adopted siblings, he hadn’t been raised domesticated. He had been a creature of nightmares, that Edward for all of his own created demons, could never hope to match. They were all wolves in sheep’s clothing, but Jasper still felt feral, even after 50 years of playing at human.</p><p>Between Edward and Bella, questions were answered politely but in that practiced way that closed down any further inquiries. Bella was always guilty after shutting down an attempt at connection, but she was too kind for her own good. Nothing good would come out of befriending humans. He thought Bella felt the lack the most keenly though, as the youngest of them. But for Jasper, high school was just a necessary facade to live the lifestyle that kept him from despair.</p><p>The bell rang for lunch, and Jasper pulled out the map and Bella and Edward pretended to consult it briefly, while Jasper took a few surreptitious breaths. The mouthwatering aromas were dulled as they were outside, but his thirst flared wickedly in response. <em>It is fitting to be hungry at lunchtime</em>. He eyed the students rushing past, trying and failing to take surreptitious looks at him and his siblings as they passed. <em>Though they likely wouldn’t be pleased at my eating habits.</em> A particularly delectable scent wafted by from a brown-haired boy, and Jasper’s gaze snapped to his neck before he could stop himself. He turned away abruptly, hands in fists, jaw clenched. Edward shot him a glance, but Bella ignored his tension, as they finally put away the map, and followed the flow of warm bodies to the cafeteria. Rosalie and Emmett had already snagged a table, though the mingling of annoyance and admiration reeling off of the gaggle of girls to their left implied they’d usurped someone’s spot, but it was a prime location by the back door for a quick exit. Jasper hated the necessity but couldn’t deny it was needed.</p><p>All of them stopped breathing as they bought and paid for food. The rotting smells were almost enough to distract him from the heavy pulse of the lunch lady, but not quite. They sat down beside their siblings. Rosalie had a magazine as a prop, between Emmett and herself, lunch tray abandoned. Edward pulled out some homework, they’d been assigned, and Bella retrieved a book from their English reading list. Knowing Bella, she’d probably even read it, though she’d read it innumerable times before. More students filled into the cafeteria, the unsynchronized beat of their hearts echoing in his mind. Private conversations were easily overheard by his superhuman hearing, but Jasper couldn’t care less about teenage drama. He did automatically perk his ears up at any mention of the family though and stretch his emotional perception as a precaution. A few tables across a group of girls were chatting about them.</p><p>“God, they’re all so hot,” said a dark curly haired girl. A thin girl with glasses murmured her agreement. “I’d let any of them do whatever they wanted to me, I swear,” she continued.</p><p>“Doubt she’d enjoy that as much as she’d hope,’ Emmett murmured too low for human ears. They all chuckled at that, quietly.</p><p>“I’d die to have hair like that,” The thin girl added. Jasper smirked. <em>She was more right than she knew.</em> A last gaggle of students came into lunch, sending out waves of hunger. A bubble of anticipation and bright, bold happiness caught his attention like a beacon. High school was never a happy place in his experience. Jasper surreptitiously located the girl who was sending out such waves of joy, it was like a cool breeze against the hot onslaught of lust and envy that was bombarding him. <em>Cute</em>. She was elfin, thin, with big dark eyes, and haphazard short black hair. She moved to sit with the girls he had just been talking to.</p><p>An ill-advised breath bombarded him with scents and his throat burned wickedly. He immediately stopped breathing but kept the girl in his peripheral vision. He wondered what she smelled like. <em>A toffee apple, sugary sweet with a crisp tang to balance it out.</em> The pain of his thirst intensified. <em>She's a tiny thing, wouldn't be more than a mouthful, really.</em> His gaze dropped from her cute profile, to the barest hint of cleavage revealed by her shirt. <em>Not that I need more than a mouthful.</em> He pulled his gaze from her chest up to the graceful curve of her neck, and the pulse he could see pounding there. The burn in his throat reached a fever pitch. He wanted bury his face against her neck, to slide his tongue along her jugular and feel the rabbit quick pulse of her blood, before he slid his teeth into her flesh and his mouth filled with sweet blood; her little gasp of pain he could turn into pleasure as he—</p><p>A kick to his chair jolted him out of his fantasy, the flash of contempt from Edward shamed him. But quick on its heels was annoyance at the superiority radiating off of him. He sent a blast of unease out to the surrounding students whose hormone ridden emotions were almost overwhelming him, not sparing his adopted siblings. It did the trick, the waves of lust dimmed down and his coinciding bloodlust with it. He took one last glance at the tiny happy girl, who was entirely unaware of the monsters sitting in their midst. He looked away, jaw tight.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jasper kinda got away from me there lol... anyway, concrit would be appreciated!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alice struggles with keeping her mind in check, with the proximity and distance of Jasper, and with her own feelings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alice skipped her way over to her car, plonking her bag onto the passenger seat as she slid in, biting her lip to keep a shit-eating grin off her face. <em>Just get home already.</em> Keeping her thoughts in check had taken some effort, and she was sure to pay for it later, no matter how good her mood. Her visions hadn’t prepared her for seeing Jasper in the flesh at lunch. She had never been so hyperaware of someone’s presence before, like a livewire under her skin. That sensation was only starting to abate now, as she pulled into her driveway. She just barely kept to the speed limit on her way home.</p><p>“Gran, I’m home!” Alice chirped, power walking past the kitchen. Gran raised her eyebrow, no doubt surprised by Alice’s record-breaking home-time and uncommon cheer. At the tell-tale sign of a parental interrogation Alice practically raced to the stairs, taking them two at a time, only releasing her breath when the door clicked closed behind her with finality. Slinging her bag onto her ratty desk chair, Alice spun on one heel and flopped backwards onto her bed, despite the mattress being old enough to give a sad sag as opposed to the satisfying bounce she desired. Released from having to watch her thoughts she let out a big sigh, only as her shoulders relaxed did she realise how tense she had been all day.<em> It was worth it though to have him so close. </em>It had taken all of her willpower not to gawp at Jasper and his family like the rest of the school had been doing. She had seen a freshman girl miss her mouth entirely because she was too busy gaping at the Cullens.</p><p><em>And what a family!</em> The school gossip mill had revealed that the Cullen siblings were all adopted, save for Jasper and Rosalie who were the twin niece and nephew of Dr. Cullen. No one had yet been brave enough to find out which of the ethereal siblings were single, but Jess was working up her courage. Alice predicted by the end of the week Jess would be burning with curiosity so badly she’d approach them herself. Alice felt a surge of warmth towards Jess who had taken her under her wing when she’d arrived. What had started off as a desire to share the spotlight with the new girl had quickly progressed to a real friendship once Alice had seen Jess’ wardrobe. She had been green with envy and cursed her petite frame for not even being able to borrow a beautiful periwinkle satin slip dress that she knew would look exquisite on her. <em>As Gran would say, I have champagne taste on a beer budget!</em></p><p>The dress was on her mind again (not that had ever truly left), because Lauren had been talking about throwing a party at lunch. Finally free from watching her every thought, Alice let her imagination take full rein, allowed herself pure wish fulfilment. She would be wearing the slinky dress, enjoying the cool, glass feel of it on her skin, overheated from the wine Jess had snuck into her room. Angela would let her hair down and put her contacts in, and Jess would be doing all their makeup like their lives depended on it. When Alice looked in the floor length mirror that dominated one side of Jess' room, she would look like someone else: someone beautiful and seductive. When they walked into the party, heads would turn, and Alice would look people in the eyes and know they liked what they saw. But she didn't care about them. Leaning against the wall, in the corner by the door, would be Jasper. The crowd would be a maintaing a careful  distance from him, but keep their heated eyes upon him regardless. When she met his eyes, there would be an undeniable spark between them. His gaze would have a physical weight as it ran down her form appreciatively. He might tilt his head and smirk. She would smirk right back then turn on her heel and get herself a drink. She wouldn't be surprised by the heat of him at her back in the cool kitchen as she poured herself a drink. She'd turn to face him after making him wait just a beat too long. He'd take the drink from her and cup a hand against her jaw, stepping closer, angling her head up to meet his kiss—</p><p>Alice rolled onto her belly, turning her face into the pillow as the smile slowly slipped off her face at her silly fantasy. She let out a deep sigh into her pillow.</p>
<hr/><p>Lunchtime had become a bit of a chore now. Keeping herself in check. Having him close but somehow even more out of reach than when he was just in her visions... Jess swapped Alice's fruit cup for her pudding cup, in an obvious attempt to cheer her up. Alice conjured up a genuine smile for her. She knew Angela and Jess were beginning to get a little worried about her. She caught the occasional look over her head – not just the regular kind just because she was stupidly short, but the kind with meaning. They'd even cut off their quiet conversation when she had approached the table earlier, Jess jumping into the awkward pause to begin regaling her with the latest breakup. Three was an uneven configuration of friends, and she felt that strongly now. The last thing she wanted was an intervention from them that she couldn't answer, but she was, mercifully, saved by the bell. Angela wasn't likely to whack out the thumbscrews in Biology, though she might have to tell her friend that she was okay, and somehow manage to mean it.</p><p>Walking into biology was a bit jarring; no one was seated and Mr. Banner had that surprise-pop-quiz twinkle in his eyes that put fear into his student’s hearts. Alice felt her heart miss a beat when she spied Jasper's golden head through the crowd; he was slouched against the open window, which was why she hadn't spotted him heads above the rest, like Edward's lanky frame beside him. The brown-haired Cullen, Isabella was also over there too. Mr Banner clapped and the students turned their attention on him.</p><p>"Since we have three new students joining us,' he said, gesturing to the Cullen's and Hale in attendance. Isabella shifted from foot to foot as thirty pairs of eyes fell on them. 'I decided it was prime time to shake things up! So, we're going to change the seating arrangement!" There was a sea of groans at that announcement, and Angela and Alice shared a pained look. At the beginning of the semester Alice had mercilessly elbowed Ben out of the way to ensure that she was paired up with Angela.</p><p>Mr Banner rattled out the new lab partners and students began filling into their seats. Isabella, or Bella as she had corrected, got Mike. He all but swaggered to his seat, grinning like the cat who got the canary the whole way. Angela jolted when she got put with Edward and offered him a kind if nervous smile despite him having a face like he was sucking on a lemon. The pairs were dwindling down, and she tried not to fidget, until finally her name was called.</p><p>"Alice Brandon and Jasper Hale", said Mr Banner, gesturing to the table in front of Mike and Bella. Alice went cold with shock, then hot with something like anticipation, mixed with a healthy dose of nerves. Her heart beating ridiculously fast, she approached the desk. <em>Was this fate?</em> she thought, almost hysterically. Jasper was somehow already there and quickly leaned over – <em>get your eyes off his ass Alice Mary!! </em>– and opened the window, before sliding into his seat.  Alice gave him her brightest smile when she sat down, joy singing through her heart and making her incapable of toning it down even a little.</p><p>"Nice to meet you!" she said, and immediately tried not to cringe at her chirpy, slightly breathless tone.  Jasper dropped his gaze, but not before she saw his lips twitch into a smirk. She filled that smirk away for later dissection and likely inclusion in her future fantasies without a shred of guilt.</p><p>"Nice to meet you too, Alice," he said quietly, the barest edge of a Southern accent slipping out. A little thrill ran through her at her name honey-like in his mouth. It took a herculean force of will to turn her attention onto Mr. Banner and not stare at Jasper like the lovesick fool she was.</p><p>Mercifully, Mr. Banner put them into groups, so Alice could avoid disgracing herself in front of Jasper for a little longer.  She swivelled in her seat to face Bella and Mike, giving the former a cheery smile. Bella blinked, and smiled back a little tentatively, but not before first cutting her eyes to Jasper who was sitting ramrod straight in his chair. His arms were crossed, his hands were curled tightly around his biceps, and while Alice’s mouth went a little dry at the sight, he looked distinctly uncomfortable. <em>Maybe it was her</em>, she thought, heart dropping like a stone.  She turned her gaze on Mike who waggled his eyebrows at her.</p><p>“Group project, huh? Goes without saying you’re on graphics, Alice.” Mike said, as Mr. Banner handed out coloured craft paper to the groups.</p><p>“Jasper can write,” Bella said.  </p><p>“Guess that makes us the brains of the operation,” Mike said, winking at Bella. Alice coughed to cover a snort as Bella deliberately turned her attention to her. <em>At least watching Mike’s attempt at flirting would be a good distraction,</em> she thought as she pulled her markers out of her bag, putting them in between her and Jasper so he could use them as well.</p><p>Alice zoned out as Mike spit-balled ideas, her gaze flicking between Bella and Mike. He was perfectly ordinary and certainly not <em>bad</em> looking but sitting next to Bella she found herself noticing his uneven skintone and the crookedness of his nose. The only flaw on the brunette was some serious undereye bags and anaemic pallor. Alice didn’t let herself think about how she measured up in comparison. Hopefully discreetly she let her gaze rest on Jasper and drink him in for a moment. But having just been looking at Mike, the contrast between the two was so stark, it was hard to believe they were same age let alone the same species. Like his adopted sibling, he was pale enough to warrant concern about his iron intake and the deep shadows made his dark honey eyes stand out. Alice jolted in her seat, she’d been staring so intently she hadn’t even noticed him turning to her. Feeling her face heating, she hoped he hadn’t asked her something.</p><p>“Earth to Alice,” Mike sing-songed, leaning across the table to wave his hand in front of her face. Truly embarrassed now, she watched Jasper stiffen out of the corner of her eye with a sense of dull horror. <em>Way to be a creep! </em>Dutifully, she sketched a quick diagram of a mitochondria in the middle of the poster, careful to keep her distance from Jasper as much as the small desks allowed in case she made him even more uncomfortable than she already had.</p><p>“That’s really good, Alice,” Bella said, kindly. Alice lifted her eyes to Bella’s warm brown ones, but could only see honesty there, instead of the pity she expected, so managed to conjure up a small genuine smile for her.</p><p>“Thanks, do you draw?” she asked.</p><p>Bella quickly shook her head. “I don’t have the co-ordination for it, unfortunately,” she said a little sheepishly.</p><p>“It’s just a matter of practice, like anything else. I could teach you if you wanted,” Alice offered. And immediately regretted it. <em>Talk about overeager</em>. <em>The Brandon family’s Too-Much gene was really out in full force today, </em>she thought almost despairingly<em>. </em></p><p>“That’s kind of you to offer, but I really am hopeless,” Bella said, sounding genuinely regretful. It took the sting out a bit, until Mike scoffed under his breath. Alice felt more than saw Jasper stiffen even further next to her. He was practically carved from stone.</p><p>Mr. Banner came round to get their posters. “You’ll finish your posters next week, ladies and gents,” he said. Tapping a foot as Jasper quickly wrote their names on the back. Alice blinked at his elegant handwriting, but didn’t have a chance to put her foot in her mouth because the bell rang and Edward Cullen all but teleported over to their table to scoop up Bella’s books and give Alice and Mike a very cool look. Jasper’s chair squealed against the linoleum as he quickly stood up, picking up his books and squeezing behind Alice before she could even tuck in her seat to give him room. Bella threw Alice an almost apologetic look as her blonde brother left the classroom as if he were being chased by wolves. Edward put an hand on Bella’s elbow and they walked out too. “I’ll see you later, Alice, Mike.” Bella said over her shoulder.</p><p>Alice and Mike shared a glance at having been left on their own before the other students had even packed away their books. “Those guys seem like such jerks, they must be related,” Mike said. Alice ignored him, and raised her eyebrows over at Angela who had also been abandoned by Edward with impolite speed, but her friend only shrugged as she came over to walk to gym together. Mike fell into step with them as well.</p><p>“Jasper was acting like he was being forced to participate on pain of death. Did Edward give you the cold shoulder too, Ange?” Mike groused.</p><p>“He <em>was</em> a little distant,” Angela said, but quickly added, “he was very polite though, and did his share of the work.” Mike just grumbled in response, before he spotted Tyler and jogged over to him instead.</p><p>Angela turned to Alice, “Was it really so bad?” she asked. Alice really didn’t want to think about it, let alone talk about it.</p><p>“Jasper seemed… uncomfortable,” she said, putting it mildly, “but Bella seems nice.” Like Angela, she didn’t want to be unnecessarily critical, nor did she want to dwell on <em>why</em> Jasper had been so uneasy. “Mike’s just pissy because Edward got all territorial over Bella.”</p><p>“Is that even legal?!” Jessica asked, appearing so suddenly as they rounded the corner to the changing rooms, Alice nearly jumped out of her skin. “Jess!” Angela cried, hand over her heart. Jessica could scent the gossip like blood in the water and hooked her arms through both of theirs, towing them into the changing rooms with the single minded determination that had made her vice-captain of the volleyball team. Alice spotted Bella’s red-brown hair at the same time Angela must have, because she told Jessica she’d fill her in after school.  </p><p>Nets were already set up in the gym, and Jess wasted no time looping her arm through Alice’s. “You’re with me today, Brandon,” she said, smiling. Alice managed to summon a weak smile. <em>Outed myself as a freak in Biology and now volleyball. Today's gone from bad to worse.</em></p><p>Jess pouted, “Not exactly drowning in enthusiasm over here.”</p><p>As Angela and Lauren paired up on the other side of the net with the ball, Alice struck a cheerleading pose. “Go team!”  she said with exaggerated pep.  </p><p>“That’s more like it!” Jessica said, eyeing up their opponents with a gleam in her eye. <em>On second thought, worse would be playing volleyball </em>against<em> Jess</em>.</p><p>Lauren served the ball with a vicious spike and Alice fortunately had no time to dwell, as Jess was a seriously sore loser.</p><p>During a break between sets, the four of them were brandishing their water bottles to keep the gym teacher at bay. At the other end of the gym was Edward and Jasper versus Tyler and Mike. <em>Damn, worse than Jess at a volleyball tournament</em>, Alice thought as Mike managed a powerful spike right to the front of the Cullen’s side. They shouldn’t have been able to make the save, and yet, Edward was there, almost casually sending the ball back to their undefended corner. Alice couldn’t help but notice that Bella was on the court between her and them, hanging well back from the action and looking uncomfortable.</p><p>Lauren must have followed her gaze, because she sniffed. “I don’t see why the boys are all panting after that Isabella,” she said.</p><p>“Because she’s nice <em>and</em> pretty,” Alice said, unable to leave well enough alone. Lauren just flicked her hair dismissively as if Alice hadn’t even spoken.</p><p>“Speaking of nice and pretty,” said Jess, “I would eat my breakfast, lunch and dinner off of Edward’s ass.”</p><p>“Jess!” Alice hissed, half laughing, as Angela inhaled her water and started coughing.  <em>What if Edward could</em>—she cut off that thought.  </p><p>“Are you saying you wouldn’t?” Jess asked, waggling her eyebrows comically.</p><p>“Unlike <em>you</em>, I like to eat my dinner off a plate!” Alice responded, her face screwed up with fake indignation. Jess scoffed at that.</p><p>“Well, you’re missing out, but if you aren’t an ass girl, Jasper’s got some <em>very</em> nice arms—”</p><p>“I really don’t want to hear about how he could choke you out anywhere, anytime, Stanley,” Lauren drawled.</p><p>“Projecting much?” Jess replied.</p><p>“Okay, that’s enough from you both,” Alice said, using her full force to push a laughing Jess a couple stumbling steps back onto the court. Well aware that her face was burning, she was exercising some serious self control to not think anything at all.</p><p>As Angela and Lauren also took their places back on the court, Alice was relieved to see Angela looked a bit pink too, though likely that was from nearly coughing up a lung than Jess' lewd comments. Her embarassment and amusement faded, leaving Alice hollow. Inexorably, her gaze was drawn over to Jasper. School issued gym kits were rarely flattering — Alice herslef looked like a prebuscent boy in hers — but Jasper could've been a model. Her eyes traced over the beautiful planes of his face. What had she expected though really? It was laughable to think Jasper could be interested in her. Sharp pain lanced through her heart at that thought. To her shock, Jasper turned and looked straight at her. The moment their gazes met full on, it was like an electric jolt went straight through her. <em>Am I imagining it or did Jasper's eyes widen? Did he feel that too?</em></p><p>"Alice!" She jerked at the sound of her name, turning to Jess, just before she was sent sprawling. There was a horrible cruching sound, her mouth tasted like metal as a wet heat slid down her face. Alice lifted her hand to her nose which was white hot with pain, unsurprised when her fingers came back red with blood.  Jess, Lauren and Angela crowded round. Coach blew the whistle shrilly. "I'm so sorry, Alice! Are you alright?" That was Lauren, her eyes wide, and looking genuinely sorry. It was some small consolation that she knew Lauren lacked the skill for it to have been intentional.</p><p>"Someone take Bella and Alice to the nurse's office!" Coach said, as she handed Alice some tissues. She turned, though her head protested, her brain feeling like it was bouncing around in her skull, to look at where Bella was quickly being escorted out of the gym half leaning on Jasper, who's free hand was clenched so tightly the tendons in his pale forearms stood out in stark relief. Ushering them out quicker was Edward, his face tight. The sting of tears in her eyes was only part physical pain as Jess pulled her to her feet gently and fussed at her shirt.</p><p>"You'll have trouble getting blood out of that," Jess said, "who's idea was it to have white gym shirts anyway?" Alice was grateful for Jess' chattering so she could ignore the eyes on her.</p><p>"Are you okay to walk or do I need to carry you out of here bridal style?" Jess teased. Alice gave her a wobbly smile. "Don't tempt me."</p><p>By the time they'd walked to the nurse and Alice had been cleaned up and nose plugged, she finally looked around but there was no sign of the Cullen's at all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope this slightly longer chapter makes up for the wait! </p><p>Thanks so much for the wonderful support for this story so far! I'm so appreciative of the kudos, subs and comments! &lt;3</p><p>Please hold me accountable for my (bi-)monthly update schedule over on tumblr, where I'm adenali (twilight sideblog).</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>